Sanitary holder for collapsible tubes



Sept. 6, 1932. E. J. FABER SANITARY HOLDER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed April 16. 1950 AVG/ENE) Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nrmt'rivn J FABEB, or ST. LOUIS, rrrssounr SANITARY HOLDER non coLLAPsIBLE Turns 'Application filed April 16,

This invention relates generally to sanitary holders-for collapsible tubes containing toothpaste, shaving cream, and like material, one obj ect of the invention beingthe provision of a device of this character by which} ents have been issued on devices of the genera-l type of the one disclosed herein, but in so far as I am aware,'all of these devices are deficient to such extent that they are not capable of practical use. For instance, some of these devices are of such construction that the manufacturing cost-thereof is too great, and in other cases the devices are provided with numerous moving parts and hence are likely to get out of order. Also, some of the former devices referred to required the use of special tubes, and this condition complicated the use thereof. 7

My improved device is ofextremely simple construction whereby the cost thereof is prevented from being excessive, and also said device includes very few movable parts. In addition to the foregoing, my device is capable of use with standard tubes containing tooth paste and shaving cream produced by various manufacturers, hence no complications in this connection are encountered.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved device. V

Fig. 2 is a vertical section throughthe device illustrated in Fig. 1, showing apart of the housing in a closed position.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on-line-33 of Fig. 2. f

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, wherein is shown forithe purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiline 4-4 ment of the invention, A designates the improved device generally, said device incl-uding a base member 1 securedbymeans of screws, or other suitable fastening devices 2, to a support 3. The base member 1 is preferably provided witha marginal flange-4 which 1930. Serial No. 444,647. 7

serves to give said base member an improved appearance. The base member 1 1s providedwith a vertically extendedfislot 4, said base member preferably being slit horizontally at 5 and 6 and the material of the base member at opposite sides of the slot 4 being bent. forwardly at 7 and horizontally at 8, as shown} in F ig. 3, to provide raised portions 9. V

-10. designates a rigid strap which extends transversely of the oppositely disposed raised portions 9, said strap being provided with ing wardly extended flanges 11 at its opposite ends whichembrace the forwardly extended portions 'Zof the base member 1. The strap 10'is movable vertically with respect to the raised portions 9 and because the flanges 11 contact with theforwardly extended portions 7 of said raised portions the strap isiguided thereby in its vertical movement. a i

The strap 10 is provided with a pair of Vertically extended slots-12 through which the rearward end portions of a pair of clamping elements. 13 extend. Each of the clamping elements 13 at the inner end thereof is provided with an outwardly bent portion 14, said portions 14 being extended parallel with the horizontal portions 8 of the raised portions 9 and being adapted to' be drawn into close frictional contact with the inner faces of said horizontal portions 8 (Fig. Thetclamping elements are each provided with a pair of upwardly and downwardly projected exten sions 15 (Figs. 1 and 2) which arearranged slidably mounted n'the clamping element's I 13,-the opposite end portions of said adjusting member being turned under as indicated at 19 in a manner to cause said end portions to embracethe flange portions 16 of the clamping elements 13. The flange portions 16 are turned downwardly at their forward ends, as

,tion of the adjusting member 18 with respect to the lengths of the clamping elementsregulates the degree of separation permitted to said clamping elements, it being plain that because of the curved edges 17 of the flange portions 16 of said clamping elements with which. the adjusting member cooperates, said clamping elements may be moved towardand from each other by sliding the adjusting ember longitudinally thereof.v It is likewise plain that when the adjusting member 18 is located at therear portions of the clamping elements so as to permit the forward. end

portions of said olampingelements to be separated from each other, the frictional grip between the portions 1d of said clamping elements and the rear faces of the portions8 of the base l'will be lessened, so as to permit the clamping elements together with the strap 10 to be moved vertically with respect to the base 1, whereby said parts may be located at various elevations. Also, when the'parts re ferred to'have been properlypositioned with respect tothe elevation thereof," they may be clamped in such positionby moving the adjusting me1nber 18 outwardly relative to the clamping elements, whereby the outer end portions of said clamping'elenients will be drawn toward each other and the outwardly extended portions '14 are drawn into close frictional contact with the rear faces of the base portions 8. It will be noted that during such adjustment the clamping elements 13 pivot about a point which is located substantially at the slots 12 in the strap 10.'

Arranged adjacent to the lower end of the base 1 is a horizontally disposed member 21 which is provided with a cup shaped portion 22 in which an aperture 23 is found. The member 21 is secured to the base 1 of the device by means of portions 2 1 which are extended through apertures formed through said base, and are bent over in contact with the rear face" of the base,whereby the wall of the base is interposed between said bent over portions and portions of said member 21, which contact with the forward face of the base." The member 21 is'provided with strengthening webs 25 and with apair of spaced apart, downwardly extended ears 26. The ears 26 are provided with apertures 27,

and 28 designates a closure element which is pivoted to the ears 26 through the instrumentality of oppositelyextended portions'28 thereof which are disposed inthe apertures 27 inth e spaced apart ears 26. The closure element-28 is provided with a depressed-portion 29 which when the closure element is in vmoved to the elevated position in which it is shown by full'lines in Fig. 2, the edge of the portion 30 of said closure element will contact very closely with the curved face of the portion31 of themem'beri21, so that said edge of 'said portion 31 will be frictionally gripped and the closure element held in its'elevated position. However, when 'it' is desired to lower the closure element to'the position in which same is shownby dotted lines in 2, it is necessary merely that said closure element be moved downwardly'about its pivots with sufficient force to overcome the frictional grip between the edge of the portion 30 of the closure element and thevcurved face of the portion-31.

In the use of my improved device, a tube T of toothpaste or shaving cream is'inverted so as to locate thedischarge end thereof at the bottom'after removing the cap of said tube The neckp'orti'on T of the tube T is passed through the aperture 28 in'the member 21, and the upper, closed end of the tube is clamped between the clamping elements 13, this latter operation being performed by sliding the adjusting member 18 rearwardly rel ative to the clamping elements, so as to permit the separation thereof, and after int duction of the upper end of the tube between the clamping elements moving the adjusting member forwardly to draw the clamping elements together so as to clamp the end of the tube therebetween. With the tube clamped in place as described and the closure element 28 'in its elevated position so as to close the discharge end of the tube, the device is ready for use, and the contents of the tube may be withdrawn therefrom by lowering the closure element 28, and, after arranging a toothbrush or a shaving brush belowthe open, discharge end of the tube, squeezing thedesired suitable catch mechanism 38 is employed to V retain the hinged elements in their closed positions against the action of the springs 37. Also, if desired the hinged elements 35 may be provided with clips 39adapted toreceive toothbrushes or shaving brushes. 1

When the hinged elements 35 are in their closed positions, as'shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

they provide a housing which entirely e11 closes the various parts of the device, and when it is desired to use the device the catch mechanism 38 may be actuated to permit the springs 37 to move the hinged elementsto the open positions in which they are illustrated in Fig. 1, whereupon access may be had to the tube T associated With the device.

I claim:

1. A collapsible tube holder comprising a base, means for clamping a collapsible tube in place comprising a pair of movable clamping elements, and means for drawing said clamping elements toward each other to perform the clamping operation, the last-mentioned means comprising a member slidably supported by said clamping elements, and faces on said clamping elements which lie at an angle with respect to the line of movement of said member and with which said member slidingly contacts.

2. A collapsible tube holder comprising a base, means for clamping a collapsibletube in place comprising a pair of movable clamping elements, means for rendering said clamping elements capable of substantial pivotal movement with respect to said base, the last-mentioned means comprising a member supported by said base, and extensions on said clamping elements extended through apertures formed through said member, means associated with said clamping elements for movin same in a direction awa from each other, and means slidably mounted on the clamping elements for drawing same toward each other.

3. A collapsible tube holder comprising a base, means for clamping a collapsible tube in place comprising a pair of movable clamping elements capable of substantial pivotal. movement with respect to said base, means associated with said clamping elements for moving same in a direction away from each other, said means comprising resilient extensions on said clamping elements which contact with said base, and means slidably mounted on the clamping elements for drawing same toward each other.

4:. A collapsible tube holder comprising a base, means for clamping a collapsible tube in place comprising a pair of movable clamping elements, a support for said clamping elements movable with respect to said base,

means comprising resilient extensions on said clamping elements adapted to contact with said base in a manner which tends to move said clamping elements apart, and

I: means slidingly mounted on said clamping.

elements for drawing same toward each other.

5. A collapsible tube holder comprising a base, means for clamping a collapsible tube in place comprising a pair of movable clamping elements, a support for said clamping elements movable with respect to said base, said clamping elements being capable of substantial pivotal movement with respect to said support, means comprising resilient extensions on said clamping elements adapted to contact with said base in a manner which tends to move said clamping elements apart,

and means slidingly mounted on said clamplng elements for drawlng same toward each other.

6. A collapsible tube holder comprising a V base,means for clamping a collapsible tube elements, said supporting element being fixed immovably to said base and being provided with an aperture through which the neck' portion of the tube extends, and a closure for closing the outlet of the tube at the neck thereof.

7. A collapsible tube holder comprising a base, means for clamping a collapsible tube in place comprising a pair of movable clamping elements, means whereby said clamping elements are slidingly supported by said base, means slidably mounted on the clamping elements for drawing said'clamping elements toward each other to perform the clamping operation, a supporting element for the end of the tube opposite to the'end thereof which is engaged by the clamping elements, said supporting element being fixed immovably to said base and being provided hereunto affix my signature.

EDMUN D J. FABER. 

